Self-balancing cabinet



April 15, 1952 c. SUTERA 2,592,750

SELF-BALANCING CABINET Filed Feb. 18, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

\ 3 R C ARLES Sure/EA [:3 BY Paul ATM A rroeA/EY April 15, 1952 c. SUTERA 2,592,760

SELF-BALANCING CABINET Filed Feb. 18, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet '2 //Vl/EN 70/? CHA e1. E5 SUI-EBA BY April 15, 1952 c. SUTERA 2,592,760

SELF-BALANCING CABINET Filed Feb. 18, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 III/J 1)! 1 1 1 IN VEN TOR. E; 5 SUTEEA Flwl ATM April 15, 1952 c. SUTERA 2,592,760

SELF BALANCING CABINET Filed Feb. 18, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 52 2,? 20 32 a5 25 25 K 34 24 n 6 2/ w I. I

INVENTOR.

3 Paul ATM A rroe'Me-Y Patented Apr. 15, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF] CE SELF-BALANCING CABINET Charles Sutera, Maspeth,N. Y.

*ApplicafiolfFebruaty' 18, 1947, Serial No. 729,226

13 Claims. (Cl. 312-223) My invention relates to acabinet for storing supplies and the liketo make them accessible, when stored too high to reach without a ladder.

Among the purposes and objects are to provide a cabinet which acts as an elevator, such as akitchen cabinet, supported above a stove,sink or other objects occupying floor space.

An object is to provide a cabinet and shelves whichmay be raised andlowered from anoverhead housing or moved outofthe bottom of the housing to make the shelves accessible for loading and-unloading.

Anotherobject is to provide acabinet which is provided with a counterweight and which, when loaded automatically changes the counterweight to balancethe amount loaded into-the'cabinet.

An object is to providea device for selecting and releasing counterweights to balance any change in the weight of the cabinet and-its contents.

Still another object is to provide a safety stopping means operable to prevent accidents except when manually controlled or by a spring retractable lever when swung against thepressure of the springs andwhichalso serves the'dualpurpose of a handle to raise and lower the cabinet.

An object is to. provide a. yielding traveling support for elevator cabinetswhich=raisesand lowers the cabinet yet permits the shelves or other place for deposits to depress the cabinet and shelves in relation to the travelingsupport so that 'anysubstantial weight addedto the cabinet will operate a counterweight selector to change the counterweight to suit any load placed within the cabinet.

Another object is to provide a plurality of counterweights releasable only when the cabinet is at rest or at its bottom position of travel.

I release a selected weight to be carried on the carrier when weight is added to the cabinet.

I accomplish these and other objects by the construction herein described and shown inthe accompanying drawings which form ,a part of this, ,my disclosure.

?In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a part ofa typical modern-kitchen showing theapplication of several ofmy devices.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the counterweight carriers.

-'Fig. 3 is aside view, partly insectiom ofthe assembly.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a modification showing an electrically operated release "pin.

Fig. 5 is atransverse horizontal sectionaltview of the cabinet in its raised position.

.Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevational detail of the weight releasing mechanism.

Figr'l is a top plan view showing the housing broken-away toshow the interior.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view, of-oneof the counterweights.

Fig. 9 is-a fragmentary elevational detail of one of the weight engaging and releasing parts of the counterweight.

10' is an elevational viewof one of -the 'counterweights shown atninety degreesfrom Fig. 9.

Similar reference characters refer to similar partsithroughoutthe several views of the drawingsand in, the detailedspecifications hereinafter bearing reference to the drawings.

This general description is intended to-show some of the functions and comparative-advantages rather than "the structural details.

:For the purpose of. illustration, I have shown my device as applied toi-a modernkitchencabinet inwwhich1 shelves and cupboards "are arranged overhead or over other facilities such as the range, dish washer, sink, refrigerator, etc. lt

may, however, be used for many other purposes and modified to adapt its use for manypurposes.

In a modernikitcheni floor space may be conserved by having the cabinets; cupboards, etc.,

secured to the walls orceiling above the other facilitiesand when so -located, the shelves and storage space become difiicult to reach from the bottom of the housingso that-they may be lowered within'easy reach.

When the shelves *are loaded with supplies, the

added weight is balanced by increasing the number of weightswhich comprise the counterweight to balance the cabinet.

Thusywhen ten pounds of'supplies are placed on one of the shelves of any cabinet, the counterweight, which may have a plurality of weights, is increased to balance the cabinet and its contents; the carrier for the weights is heavy enough to balance the empty cabinet, the weights being automatically added to 3 'balance any added weight of supplies which may be placed within it.

The movable cabinet, as well as its contents, thus become automatically substantially balanced at all times and is easily raised or lowered by the handle which is swung out from the lower front center. By swinging the handle, the safety pawls at the corners of the cabinet which are attached to the handle, are released, permitting it to be lowered.

The counterweights are automatically released by means of spring means disposed between the inner cabinet and its traveling support.

In the following detailed specifications, the preciseness of the details and the preciseness of the drawings are not intended to limit the scope of my invention but rather to set forth the construction of a preferred embodiment so that it may be more readily understood by one skilled in the art to which my invention pertains. After astudy of this disclosure, numerous modifications may suggest themselves. Such modifications may be too numerous to attempt to show in detail without making this, my disclosure,

confusing.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown an outer casing or housing I which may conceal and enclose one or a plurality of vertically movable traveling supports 2 and their cabinets 3 which may be provided with shelves 4. The bottom 5 of each traveling support, may serve as the bottom panel of the housing, thereby to close the bottom when the moving parts are in their normal raised position.

Swingingly mounted at the center of each bottom 5 of any of a plurality of units or cabinets, I have provided the lever handle 6 to which a plurality of pawls 'l are connected by the chains or lines 8 to overcome the springs 9 and thereby withdraw the pawls from the serrations l0 formed in the edges of the guideways II permitting the traveling support and its cabinet to be freely raised and lowered from the housing for loading or unloading. Thus, the handle serves as a means to release and to move the cabinet into and out of the bottom of the housing. The pawls 1 are slidably mounted in the brackets 1, secured to the top of the cabinet 3.

Disposed upon the bottom 5 of the traveling support '2, I have provided a resilient support I2 for the cabinet 3 so that any load or weight placed within the cabinet causes the resilient support to be depressed and thus reduce the distance betweenthe bottom 5 of the traveling support 2 and the bottom l3 of the cabinet 3.

Referring particularly to Fig. 3 of the drawings, I have shown the resilient support as comprising a plurality of bellows M which are connected by thetubes 15 to a bellows 16 above the cabinet in the top of the housing. A spring I! which may be adjusted to increase or decrease its pressure against the end [9 of the bellows by screws 20 and nuts 20' which engage the spring .sure to the bellows l2 so that the heavier the load or weight of the contents within the cabinet, the farther theend IQ ofthe bellows moves. The end I9 is secured to the rod 2| fixed to the stop plate 22 which is provided with a plurality of stop pins 23 arranged and spaced progressively apart so that after the first piece or part of the loadin the cabinet is removed, it in turn moves the lever 24 swingingly pivoted by the pin 24' to the housing I by the brackets 24, which in turn withdraws the release pin 25 from its respective weight 26 causing the weight to drop into and be carried by the counterweight carrier 21, thereby compensating for and balancing the added weight which has been added to the cabinet. The pins 23 each are positioned on the plate 22 ahead of and at one side of the adjacent pin, in a row inclined to a right angle to the direction of travel of the pins so that one after the other engages its respective lever 24.

Each additional movement of the cabinet and of the end l9 causes an added pin to move its respective lever and release pin to release another weight and so on until the cabinet is fully loaded and all of the several weights have been released and dropped into the counterweight carrier 21.

The counterweight carrier is secured to the traveling support by the chains or lines 28 which pass over suitable pulleys 35 to cause the counterweights to descend as the support and cabinet are raised. The counterweight carrier is provided with the'safety release pins 3| which engage the safety latches 32, swingingly secured to the housing I by the pivots 32' and bosses 32 to release all of the weights only at the top position of travel of the carrier by overcoming the springs 33 which cause the latches to immediately engage the bosses 34 of each weight not released by the release pins 25.

When the cabinet and its traveling support are lowered to the bottom of their travel, any load removed from the cabinet causes each release pin 25 to progressively engage the respective weight which it may have released until the cabinet is empty or when partially empty to release those pins, the release of which is required to balance the load remaining in the cabinet.

Each weight is preferably provided with the swinging pawl 35 which is pivoted at 35' to the weight 26, the pawl 35 permitting the release pin to enter the groove 36 of its respective weight before the weight reaches its uppermost position. This occurs when weight has been removed from the cabinet when positioned between top and bottom, thus causing the release pin to be moved to its closed position. The release pin holds the weight suspended unless withdrawn automaticalto the carrier so that the first weight to be dropped at the center is followed by dropping the adjacent weight at one side; the next weight to be dropped is at the other side of the center, thus each weight dropped does not materially disturb the center of gravity of the combined plurality of weights which may be carried by 'the counterbalance carrier.

Referring to Fig. 4, I have shown a diagrammatic modification in which the carrier weight release mechanism is electrically operated instead of hydraulically as shown in the othe views of the'drawings.

Any one of the several weights 26 is engaged and withheld suspended by the release pin 29 which may also be formed integral with the armature '3'! of the solenoid 38 which may be energized by its electrical connection 39 contacting one of the contacts 40, a plurality of which are secured to the cabinet, one for each solenoid, and arranged progressively at different elevations so that as the cabinet is depressed, one

til-6991780 contact after the other completes the circuit to its respective solenoid and to release its respective weight-26 by withdrawing its respective release pin 29 to drop the weight to be carried by the counterbalance carrier. The cabinet rests on the springs 4| which become depressed more or less by the greater or lesserload'placed in the cabinet.

The number of weights, release pins, and the operating means for them may vary to suit the size of the cabinet andother conditions of operation.

The guides" for the cabinet or its traveling support as well as thosefor the counterweight carrier may vary in numberand size but are of sufficient length toguide the lower part of the cabinet outof and below the housing so that supplies may be added or removed from each cabinet as desired.

To prevent the counterweight carrier from projecting below'the housing when the cabinet is in its raised position, I have shown it as disposed substantially above the cabinet; the use of multiple pulleys, such as ina block and tackle, may be substitutedso that the counterweight travels a shorter distance than the cabinet. The weights in the case ofmultiple pulleys, must then be greater than the weight of the supplies added in the cabinet to effect the desired balance.

The lever 24 is preferably provided with the spring is which is so connected that its axis passes through the pivot 24' on which the lever is swung so that any movement beyond the dead center in either direction causes the lever to travel further than the movement of thestop pin which is positionedto operate the particular lever for releasing one of the weights. Slack motion to permit the lever to travel beyond the amount traveled by the pin is provided by the width .of thennotchifl .at the .point of :engagement of the stop pin.

Having thusidescribed a preferred embodiment of my invention, what I claim as .new and. desire to secureby Letters Patent isset. forth in the following. claims.

I claim:

1. In a vertically movable self balancing cabinet having a :housing in .and from which the cabinet is moved, .a vertically. traveling support movable with the. cabinet out. of thezbottom of the housing'and resilientmeans between said support and said cabinetrwhereby said cabinet depresses said resilient.meansrwhenwveight is placed in said cabinet, a counterweight carrier movable with and secured tosaidmovable support by a line and pulleys and a plurality of weights releasably carried by supports at the upper position of travel of said carrier to be carriedbysaid carrier and means operable by the depression of said resilient means to release any or all of said weights from said supports to said carrier tobalance weight placed in said cabinet whereby said cabinet and the weight placed in it are counterbalanced.

2. In a vertically movable self balancing cabinet having a housing in and from which the cabinet is'moved, a vertically traveling support movable with the cabinet out of the bottom of the housing and resilient means between said support and said cabinet whereby said cabinet depresses said resilient means when weight is placed insaid cabinet, a counterweight carrier movable with and-secured to said movable support by a line and pulleys and a plurality of weights rreleasably carried by supports at? the upper position of travel ofr'saide carriern-to be carried by said carrier and means operable by the depression of saidresilient means to release any or all of said weights from saidsupports to said carrier to balance weight placed in said cabinet whereby said cabinet: and the weight placed in it are counterbalanced, and means withholding a part ofsaid weights from being carried by saidcounterweightcarrier when-said cabinet is raised or lowered.

3. In a vertically movable self balancing cabinet having a housing in and from'which-the cabinet is moved,- a vertically traveling support movable with the cabinet out of the bottom of the housing and -res'ilient means between said support andsaid cabinet whereby said cabinet depresses said resilient means when weight is placed in said cabinet, a counterweight carrier movable with and secured to saidmovable support by a lineand pulleys and a pluralityof weights releasably carried by supports at the upper position of travel of said carrier to be carried by said carrier-and means operableby the depression of said resilient means torelease any or all of saidweights from said supports to said carrier to balance weight placed in said cabinet whereby said cabinet and the weight placed in it are counterbalanced-and means withholding a part of said weights from being carried by said counterweight carrier when said cabinet is raised or 1owered,'said releasing means; progressively releasing apart of said weights to counterbalance weight placed in said cabinet.

4. In a vertically :movable self balancing cabinet having a housing in and from which the cabinet is moved, a vertically traveling support movable with the cabinet out of the bottom of the housing and resilient means between said support and said cabinet wherebysaid cabinet depresses said resilient means when weight is placed in said cabinet, a counterweightcarrier movable with and secured to said movable sup port by a line and pulleys and a plurality of weights releasably carried by supports at the upperposition of travel of said carrier to be carried by said carrier and means operable by the depression of said resilient means to release'any or all of said weights'from. said supports to said carrier to balance weight placed in said cabinet whereby said oabinetand theweight in it are counterbalanced, and safety means for withholding said weights from being released except when said cabinet is at its bottom position of travel.

'5. In a vertically movable self balancing cabinet having a housing in and from which the cabinet is moved, a verticallytraveling support movable With the cabinet out of the bottom of the housing and resilient means between said support and said cabinet whereby said cabinet depresses said resilient means when the weight is placed in said cabinet, a counterweight carrier .movable with and secured to said movable support by a line and pulleys and a plurality of weights releasably carried by supports at the upper position of travelof said carrier by said carrier and means operable by the depression of said resilient means to release any or all of said weights from said supports to said carrier to balance weight placed in said cabinet whereby said cabinet and the-weight placed in it are counterbalanced, and safety means for withholding said Weights from being released except when said cabinet is at its bottom position of travel, and means on said counterweight carrier for releasing said safety "means for "withholding said weights when said counterbalance carrier is at its top position of travel.

6. In a device for counterbalancing a vertically movable cabinet and weights placed therein said device comprising a counterweight carrier and a traveling support for said cabinet connectedby a line and pulleys to said counterweight carrier and movable therewith, a plurality of counterbalancing weights releasably supported at the end of travel of said carrier to be carried by said counterweight carrier and resilient means whereby the weight of load added and placed in said cabinet causes movement between said cabinet and said support, and weight releasing means for progressively releasing any or all weights operable by the movement between said cabinet and said support. 7

7. In a device for counterbalancing a vertically movable cabinet and weights placed therein said device comprising a counterweight carrier and a traveling support for said cabinet connected by a line and pulleys to said counterweight carrier and movable therewith, a plurality of Weights releasably supported at the end of travel of said carrier to be carried by said counterweight carrier and means releasing any or all of said plurality of weights to become supported by and movable with said carrier to counterbalance any weight placed in said cabinet, including bellows between said cabinet and said support and a bellows coacting therewith for releasing said weights.

8. In a device for counterbalancing a vertically movable cabinet and weights placed therein said device comprising a counterweight carrier and a traveling support for said cabinet connected by a line and pulleys to said counterweight carrier and movable therewith, a plurality of weights releasably supported at the end of travel of said carrier to be carried by said counterweight carrier and means releasing any or all of said plurality of weights to become supported by and movable with said carrier to counterbalance any weight placed in said cabinet, including bellows between said cabinet and support and a bellows coacting therewith for releasing said weights and spring means restraining movement of said second named bellows and the movement between said cabinet and said support, and means adjusting said spring means to affect the movement of said cabinet in relation to said support.

9. In a device for counterbalancing a vertically moving cabinet and weights placed therein said device comprising a counterweight carrier and a traveling support for said cabinet connected by a line and pulleys to said counterweight carrier and movable therewith, a plurality of weights releasably supported at the end of travel of said carrier to be carried by said counterweight carrier and means releasing any or all of said plurality of weights to become supported by and movable with said carrier to counterbalance any weight placed in said cabinet, a bellows between said cabinet and said support and a bellows coacting therewith for releasing said weights, and means between said last named bellows and said weight releasing means for causing selective operation of said weight releasing means.

10. In a device for counterbalancing a vertically movable cabinet and weights placed therein said device comprising a counterweight carrier and a traveling support for said cabinet connected by a line and pulleys to said counterweight carrier and movable therewith, a plurality of weights releasably supported at the end of travel of said carrier to be carried by said counterweight carrier and means releasing any or all of saidplurality of weights to become supported by and movable with said carrier to counterbalance any weight placed in said cabinet, a bellows between said cabinet and said support and a bellows coacting therewith for releasing said weights, and means between said last named bellows and said weight releasing means for causing selective operation of said weight releasing means, comprising a stop plate and a plurality of stop pins disposed in alternate sequence whereby a center weight is first released and then an adjacent weight is released when weight is addedto said cabinet and an adjacent weight on the opposite side of the first released weight is released to reduce the effects of disturbing the center of gravity of said counterweight carrier.

11. In a device for counterbalancing a vertically movable cabinet and weights placed therein said device comprising a counterweight carrier and a traveling support for said cabinet connected by a line and pulleys to said counterweight carrier and movable therewith, a plurality of weights releasably supported at the end of travel of said carrier to be carried by said counterweight carrier and. means releasing any or all of said plurality of weights to become supported by and movable with said carrier to counterbalance any weight placed in said cabinet, a bellows between said cabinet and said support and a bellows coacting therewith for releasing said weights, and means between said last named bellows and said weight releasing means for causing selective operation of said weight releasing means, comprising a stop plate and a plurality of stop pins coacting with said weight releasing means, said releasing means including a plurality of release pins and levers movable by one of said plurality of stop pins.

12. In a device for counterbalancing a vertically movable cabinet and weights placed therein said device comprising a counterweight carrier and a traveling support for said cabinet connected by a line and pulleys to said counterweight carrier and movable therewith, a plurality of weights releasably supported at the end of travel of said carrier to be carried by said counterweight carrier and means releasing any or all of said plurality of weights to become supported by and movable with said carrier to counterbalance any weight placed in said cabinet, a bellows between said cabinet and said support and a bellows coacting therewith for releasing said weights, and means between said last named bellows and said weight releasing means for causing selective operation of said weight releasing means, comprising a stop plate and a plurality of stop pins coacting with said weight releasing means, said weight releasing means including a plurality of release pins and levers movable by one of said plurality of stop pins, and spring means to cause said lever to travel a greater distance than the movement of said pin;

13. In a device for counterbalancing a vertically movable cabinet and weights placed therein said device comprising a counterweight carrier and a traveling support for said cabinet connected by a line and pulleys to said counterweight carrier and movable therewith, a plurality of weights releasably supported at the end of travel of said carrier to be carried by said counterweight carrier and means releasing any or all of said plurality of weights to become supported by and movable with said carrier to counterbalance any weight placed in said cabinet, a bellows between 2,592,760 7 9 10 said cabinet and said support and a bellows co- REFERENCES CITED acting therewith for releasing said weights, and The following references are of record in the means between said last named bellows and said file of this patent. weight releasing means for causing selective operation of said weight releasing means, compris- 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS ing a stop plate and a plurality of stop pins and Number Name Date a plurality of release pins and levers coasting 473,036 Veenschaten Apr.. 19, 1892 with said weight releasing means and a spring for 696,268 Pool Mar. 25, 1902 moving said lever beyond the movement of said 2,181,399 Forbes Nov. 28, 1939 pin. 10 2,429,523 Murphy Oct. 21, 947

CHARLES SUTERA. 

